Gifts
by foolforcheese
Summary: This is The Gift...sorta...in a B/G shipper kinda way...Guess what?People live! R/R, Thank you!


GIFTS  
  
TIMELINE: The Gift, sorta messed with it though. DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon is a God and I lick his feet A/N: Review me. Please. You can flame or spit fry me, but don't leave me hanging. I'm new at this, and don't know what you guys like. So please, REVIEW!! Thank you!  
  
Buffy swung the hammer hard, connecting with Glory's face. The hell god spun and hit the cement with a hard thud. The slayer moved towards the metal structure holding her sister captive when a slender hand grabbed her ankle, pulling her to the pavement where she grappled with the other blonde. She had to get to Dawn. Now.  
  
The last thing she'll see is me protecting her  
  
She fought all the harder.  
  
Giles climbed the steps to the platform top two at a time. He could see the battle raging below him. Tara and Willow had their hands entwined, magic coming in bursts, forcing the demons back. An occasional crack signified Anya wielding her bat while the steady groan of an engine gave way to Xander's machine. He heard a cry and looked up to see Spike's body plummet past him to the ground.  
  
He climbed faster.  
  
At the end of the awning stood two figures. One turned, and walked towards Giles with a knife. The watcher muttered in Latin and the man followed Spike's path. He turned his attention back to the girl. Her teary eyes were staring straight at him. He could hear Buffy's words in his mind.  
  
The last thing she'll see is me protecting her.  
  
His heart contracted with love and guilt and he reevaluated his decision.  
  
Buffy looked up from her fight to see a tall figure standing in front of Dawn. It had to be Giles. Her stomach clenched as she remembered his intentions. She had to get to her sister.  
  
With his hands around her middle, Giles pulled the Summer's girl to safety. She cried into his chest, her fists lodged in his sweater. She pulled back and explained quietly.  
  
"They opened the portal. I have to close it."  
  
Giles stared in horror. He then sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Giles, I have to. There's no other way. It needs to have the blood," Her face was earnest, trying to make him understand.  
  
"Yes," Giles said, a strange note in his voice made Dawn shiver, "Yes it does."  
  
She looked directly into his eyes and was startled by the thoughts layed so clearly out for her. Her head shook slowly, numbly.  
  
"No Giles. No!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
He kissed the top of her head and smeared his fingers with her blood.  
  
"Tell Buffy that I love her," He whispered against her hair, "Tell them all."  
  
Dawn nodded slightly, overcome by tears. Through blurred eyes she saw him stand and walk to the edge of the platform. Then, he stepped off. She saw the portal close and felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see a fuzzy picture of her sister.  
  
"Thank god"  
  
She was enclosed in a hug.  
  
"Thank god he didn't hurt you"  
  
Dawn pulled back and pointed limply towards the ground, where Giles now lay.  
  
"Oh" realization dawned on the Slayer, "no"  
  
They stumbled down to gather with the others around his broken body. Buffy collapsed in a heap and pulled his head into her lap.  
  
"Giles! Giles, don't leave me!" She began to dry and whispered, "I can't lose you"  
  
Two tears splattered on Giles's cheek. He was disoriented, couldn't feel anything. Then, in a flash, he felt very cold, and wet. He heard a sob and was rocketed back to his body.  
  
"Don't cry" his voice went almost unheard.  
  
Buffy's teary eyes opened slowly, blinking to clear themselves. She leaned in over her watcher's face to hear his rasped,  
  
"I love you"  
  
She kissed his forehead and confided in a hushed tone,  
  
"I love you, Giles"  
  
  
  
  
  
The healing took months, even after Willow and Tara's small mending spells. Giles had been confined to a wheelchair, which had provided amusement for Dawn. She was constantly asking him to let her push him. The next step in Giles's recovery had been a cane. He had eventually mended completely. After those events, the Scooby gang embraced with him more often, to which he was pleasantly surprised.  
  
But the part that made it bearable was Buffy's ever-present smile and her supportive manner. They had been almost inseparable, Buffy sticking like a shadow. Watcher and Slayer had become almost telepathic, finishing each others thought and phrases. But the knowledge that they treasured most was that in which they knew that they would pull themselves through anything and everything.  
  
Together.  
  
End  
  
Review. Please. Thank you. 


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